


Full-Throttle

by ZpanSven



Series: Carrie Allen is the Flash [12]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DCU, Green Arrow - All Media Types, The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Gen, Gender or Sex Swap, Oliver 'the cockblock' Queen, Rule 63, Shit will the fan, aka Carrie tells Eddie, and Captain Singh, no more secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-20
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-05 06:33:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4169562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZpanSven/pseuds/ZpanSven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While the Flash team is helping Team Arrow with a mystery, they also have to deal with a meta that can invoke sudden rage. What happens when Carrie lets secrets out to Captain Singh and Eddie and then gets whammied by the Meta herself?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It seemed silly that she was still riding that giddy high from the day before – why shouldn't she though? She'd beat an evil circus, saved a bunch of people, and then went onto defeat Captain Cold. 

...not capture, unfortunately. 

Sneaky bastard got away.

But even that didn't dampen her mood. So far there was no talk from Dr Wells about personal space and boundaries... In fact he had smiled at her before she had gone to suit up, a mysterious little smile that made his eyes smolder and....unf. 

Just...unf.

Maybe she was imagining it. 

And if she was, with how she was feeling as she zipped around all over Central City doing numerous sporadic good deeds to help people, she didn't want to be told otherwise.

Because it made lightning sing through her veins and heat pool in her belly and---

\--she liked it. A lot.

“Carrie!” Cisco's voice in her ear caught her attention. “Bank robbery in progress at Cunningham and Sampere.”

“I'm on it!”

“Wait, that's where I bank!” Caitlin squeaked over the comm.

“Once super-thieves showed up, I went mattress,” Cisco said solemnly.

A faint giggle escaped her at their comments. What would she do without them?

All humor escaped her as she raced into the lobby to find it a madhouse. Everyone was fighting and a blonde woman had opened fire on a man and---were their eyes glowing red, what the hell? Carrie grabbed a glass and metal advertisement, pulling it between them.

The bullet impacted, shattering the glass and lodging in part of the metal of the signage.

And strangely...everyone stopped fighting as though snapped out of their rage. The blonde woman dropped the gun, her face pale and hands trembling. Carrie looked down at them from the second level as they all looked around in confusion, helping up the people they were trying to kill a split-second before.

She frowned behind her cowl. That....was not a good thing. Was this caused by a neurotoxin or drug like LSD? ….god forbid this was the work of a Meta....

….whichever it was, it wasn't good.

\---------------

She returned to the bank in her civilian-guise – as CSI Carrie Allen. Approaching Joe, she nodded to him.

“Busy morning...” he murmured.

“You have no idea,” she agreed with a sigh.

“Witnesses reported seeing a red streak,” he drawled.

Carrie grimaced. “You should have seen it, Joe – it was like everyone in here was trying to kill each other. I barely got here to keep one of them from being shot to death...”

“It must have been a diversion, because there's half a million bucks missing from the vault. There is a tracer in the cash stacks. We're trying to find the signal. Meantime, do you have any idea what could have cause a mass...” Joe seemed to struggle searching for a word and gestured at the lobby around them. “...this?”

“I don't know – it could be a nuerotoxin. I'll swab every surface to see what I can find, but...I think they got whammied....”

“....Whammied?” Joe side-eyed her.

She grimaced. “Like what Bliss did to me and to Eddie, Iris, and everyone else in that stadium...”

“So it could be a Meta?” he hissed softly.

“Its possible.” she replied, watching as Eddie led the distraught-looking blond woman from the bank...though thankfully not in handcuffs.

\------------------

To say Carrie was not happy as she watched Eddie in Captain Singh's office trying to convince him the Flash was a menace was an understatement.

This was because of keeping it secret. 

She knew it.

Iris took one look at her sister's clenched jaw and knew something was up. “Care-bear?”

“Eddie is in there trying to convince my Captain that I'm a possible threat to the public.”

“You...” she looked confused for a split-second before her eyes widened. “Oh! Dammit. I've been trying to convince him about all the good you're doing but...”

“...does he think I'm a guy? Could he be jealous?”

“...oh lord,” Iris groaned.

“This is why I hate secrets,” Carrie ground out before moving forward.

Iris trailed behind her in confusion. “What are you going to do?”

“What I should have done in the beginning, Dr Wells and Dad bedamned!” She snarled as she stormed to the Captain's door, throwing it open.

The three men stared at her in confusion.

“We need to have a talk. Right now,” she said grimly as she entered, Iris trailing behind her. “Iris, be a sweetie and close the blinds?”

Joe looked at Carrie sharply even as Iris complied. “Care-bear--”

“Allen--” the Captain looked vaguely annoyed.

“Did the DA ever forward you a report submitted by Dr Harrison Wells in the past couple months?” she asked him.

Singh blinked in surprise at the abrupt, sudden question. “No...?”

“They...probably threw it away,” Joe groaned.

“Then you two are about to be pushed blind into this and I'm sorry for that,” she shook her head. “The number one thing you have to know is this: The Flash? Is your friend and protector.”

“But---” Eddie protested.

“And the other is that the Flash is a meta-human.”

“Meta what?” Singh stared at her.

“The night of the Particle Accelerator Explosion...it unleashed dark matter and other lovely, nasty things into the city. And it has changed people. They have abilities now. Like the Flash, who can run at super-speeds,” she explained.

“So I take it you're a big fan of your sister's fanfiction, Allen?” Singh asked in disapproval.

Carrie's eyebrow twitched and then she blurred forward and the Captain found himself without his Big Belly Burger.

“Carrie!” Joe hissed, even as Singh threw himself back in his chair in alarm.

Eddie was staring at her with wide eyes. “Did you just---”

“The reason I know the Flash is your ally is because I am the Flash,” she informed them.


	2. Chapter 2

The shit had hit the fan – Captain Singh was on his feet even as she set his burger back down on his desk in a pseudo peace offering. Don't come between a man forced on a diet and his food if one wanted to keep living.

All at once, the three men began to yell at her:

“You're what?!” The Captain roared.

“Since when?!” Eddie demanded.

“Dammit, Carrie, we told you---” Joe began.

“SHUT UP!” she roared, her vocal cords vibrating in a way that made her voice raise up until the blinds rattled. She swallowed and looked at the three men, her voice normal again. “That's better. Now. If you want answers, Joe will take you to STAR Labs. We'll explain everything there. Complete with demonstrations if you need them.” She turned to Joe. “And you said this was to be kept secret. From the general public, I can understand. But from our boss? From your partner? No. The PD and STAR Labs need to be working together to stop the meta-humans. And we will even if I have to drag you to STAR Labs by the ears.”

“I'm still pissed off you tried to make her keep it secret from me, Dad,” Iris grumbled in malcontent. “And then by extension meaning I had to keep this from Eddie!”

“And we will finish the discussion at STAR Labs. I will meet you all there. And bring copies of the CAT scans of the people from the robbery – I have a theory about what made them all go crazy.” Carrie said, whirling on her heel and heading out the door.

Why yes, she was running away after dropping a bombshell in the Captain's office. What was the first clue?

\---------

To say that Dr Wells was not happy would be a massive understatement. “You did what, Ms Allen?”

“I told Captain Singh and Eddie the truth,” she replied, blushing hotly under his furious, piercing blue eyes. Little known fact: Dr Wells was even more attractive when furious. Holy crap, that wasn't fair. “We need their help to stop the criminal meta-humans and so that we can stop detaining them in the Pipeline illegally. The DA threw away the report you sent them so it never made it to Captain Singh's desk...”

“That doesn't surprise me,” he muttered sourly as he rolled his chair over to a monitor.

As the three – and Iris! - entered the Cortex, she gave them a brilliant smile. “Welcome to the Cortex. And to Team Flash!”

“Team Flash?” Captian Singh arched a brow at her and she shrugged sheepishly.

“You don't think I was able to do it all alone did you? Not even the Arrow really works alone!”

“Who?” Eddie frowned.

“The guy in Starling City,” Cisco offered. “That's what he calls himself.”

“You know him?!”

She shrank a bit under the Captain's glower. “....I plead the fifth?”

“...you do?” Eddie hissed.

“He's not that---okay he can be a bit of a jerk but he's not terrible...”

“He's a murderer,” Captian Singh snapped disapprovingly.

“Not anymore!”

“He also tortures people,” Joe added.

“....bad people?” she offered and shrugged sheepishly under the combined glares of the four men.

“....I hear he's hot,” Iris announced.

“Very. He has a Salmon Ladder and every Wednesday is Salmon Ladder day. It's great. Especially given he's shirtless and his pants are---” she said dreamily, babbling before she stopped at Iris's giggle and found Eddie and Joe give her less than amused glares. She shrugged at them. “I deserve something nice to look at before he stomps me into the training mats!”

“So that's where you go every Wednesday when you say you are training?” Joe asked, eyeing her.

“I may or may not regret volunteering getting my ass handed to me once a week,” she sighed and gave him a grin. “He says I'm getting better and that you taught me a very solid foundation.”

“So. About these 'Meta-humans'...” Captain Singh asked Dr Wells, eyeing him warily.

Carrie had heard it so many times she tuned it out, instead watching Eddie and Captain Singh's reactions about the metas they had encountered so far and their current location.

“This is illegal as hell,” Eddie sighed.

“Well what can we do?” She retorted with a shrug at her foster father's partner. “One dude is technically dead in the legal system and turns into a cloud of poisonous mist so...good luck holding him! And then there's Nathan Bliss who...well you got a taste of it at the Stadium the other night. And then there are the clowns...”

“At least Miss Hiss is nice!” Cisco reassured them. “She helped Carrie by distracting Bliss so the Stadium could be evacuated!”

“...Miss Hiss?” Joe asked eyeing the young Engineer.

“The snake-charmer, Salma Noor,” he replied. “She controls animals. Really nice lady and best candidate so far for rehabilitation. She's not even locked in the Pipeline...”

“Controls animals? Like the zoo break out? And that man who was killed via snake bites?” Captain Singh growled.

“If you had been tortured as I was, you'd have done anything asked of you too,” the tall dark-haired woman stated as she glided into the room carrying a tray of coffee. Unlike her previous snake-charmer garb, she wore a turtleneck sweater and pair of jeans; draped around her shoulders was a small black snake that flicked it's tongue in greeting to Carrie.

Carrie reached out and petted the snake on the head. “Hey Salma, hey Bennie!”

“...you just started working at Jitters!” Eddie said in alarm, recognizing her.

“Yes. Iris was able to help me get employment there,” she replied and looked over at Joe. “You have very nice girls, Detective West. Well-mannered and sweet.”

“...thank you?”

“Look...I don't like the things I was made to do. I regret it. But...of everyone in the room right now? Carrie understands what I and the other members of the circus went through at the Ringmaster's hands. What you experienced in the Stadium was a mere fraction of what we all endured. Some of us, I think can come back from it. Others...I think their minds are broken beyond repair...” Salma said, her shoulders slumped.

“And currently there is no prison nor mental institution capable of housing metas...” Caitlin sighed, accepting a cup of coffee from Salma. “We don't like being their wardens and they don't like the temporary solution but its better than letting them run rampant...”

“Trying to legally house them and try them for their crimes was why I submitted my reports to the DA,” Dr Wells added.

“And they probably were tossed in the trashcan and never read,” Joe acknowledged, his shoulders slumping.

“...very likely. I am not a....popular...man right now,” the scientist agreed, running a hand through his mussed hair.

“I brought the CAT scans for Dr Snow to analyze,” Joe passed over a thumb drive over to Caitlin, who immediately plugged it into her computer. “You said you had a theory?”

“Given I found no traces of any neurotoxin or other forms of drugs....” Carrie shook her head. “We may have a Meta on our hands.”

“And a dangerous one at that,” Dr Wells agreed, turning his chair away. “Anger, hate, aggression...”

“A Jedi craves not these things,” Cisco said with a passable Yoda impression, causing Carrie to cover her mouth to stifle her giggle. She caught Eddie rolling his eyes and Iris's lips quirk up in a smirk.

At Dr Wells's less than impressed glower at the pair, combined with Captain Singh's exasperated glare, she cleared her throat and straightened, looking as innocent as possible. He must still be rather upset, she decided as she sauntered after him.

“Everyone in the bank went completely nuts, acting like complete savages for like....” she scrunched her nose in thought as she paused by Caitlin's desk as she examined the CAT Scans on her monitor. “...five minutes? And then they were fine again...”

“Anger can be a powerful emotion and five minutes is enough time for someone to be killed,” Dr Wells reminded her, turning to face her as she leaned against the desk. “And if this meta-human can engender irrational feelings of anger, he can do a lot of damage.”

“Especially if that person is already armed, like a security guard or police officer,” Captain Singh agreed in alarm.

“Take a look at this!” Caitlin called out, transferring what she was seeing to the large, main monitor. “In each of the CAT scans from everyone at the bank...”

“The emotion centers of the brain are still being overwhelmed,” Dr Wells said, rolling towards the large monitor.

Caitlin nodded in agreement. “Particularly the areas that control executive function!” When she found herself on the receiving ends of several confused looked, she elaborated: “These are the areas of the brain that stops people from doing the random and potentially destructive things that pop into their head.”

“So basically this guy shuts off their conscious and common sense,” Eddie clarified.

“Great,” Joe groaned.

“But how does this meta-human do that to them?” Captain Singh asked Caitlin.

She shrugged. “That, Captain, is the half-a-million dollar question.”


	3. Chapter 3

Letting the SWAT team go in seemed like such a terrible idea to Carrie but protocol was protocol until the DA could be brought up to speed on the Meta-human thing. Suited up and antsy as Joe and the SWAT Team entered the warehouse, she could only wait and listen through the mic Joe was wearing.

“He's on the move,” Joe was saying; faintly she could hear their quiet footsteps as they moved deeper into the warehouse

“Freeze!”

“Hold it right there!”

Her muscles were bunched and tight, ready to spring into action as she could hear the SWAT team calling out commands to the unknown meta-human.

“Carrie,” Dr Wells murmured in her ear. “Calm down.”

“Cerdo.” Joe said and she blinked before remembering that was one of the SWAT officers. “Turn around!” Okay, now he was commanding the meta, Carrie tried to reassure herself, really but-- “Cerdo, what are you waiting for? Cuff him!”

Uh-oh.

She did not like the sound of that.

Nor the sound of Cerdo snarling “You don't tell me what to do!” before racking his shotgun.

As she bolted into the warehouse, she could hear Joe shouting “Get down!” and the shotgun go off. Even as the pellets sliced through the air, she sped forward, knocking the other two SWAT officers out of the range of fire before tackling Joe to the ground.

The pellets struck a wooden beam where Joe had been standing and there was the sharp twang of a bowstring; Cerdo hit the ground screaming, an arrow stick out of each of his shoulders. She and Joe jerked around to look behind them.

Standing in the window, silhouetted by the street-light outside...was the Arrow. A grin curled the corners of her mouth.

“Nice mask,” he complimented as his bow retracted into a smaller, compact size. He darted forward, agilely kicking his way up one of the center posts and upwards to the floor above.

She looked over at Joe, still grinning. Wasn't he so cool?! her expression screamed at her foster father.

He frowned at her, shaking his head. They needed to have a talk.

Indignant, she pouted at him. “...I'll meet you back at STAR Labs. In a while.”

And before he could even say her name, she was gone, chasing after Starling City's vigilante.

\---------

Even with the head-start she gave him and staying under two-hundred miles per hour – really, that was quite slow, and mostly due to the rain – she still beat Oliver to their meeting place with time to spare. Coming to a halt in front of Felicity and Diggle, she giggled at the fact Diggle's fries had flown into the air in surprise at her sudden appearance.

“Just so you know, I gave Oliver a half-an-hour head start!” Carrie chirped at Felicity and Diggle.

“Hi Carrie,” Felicity grinned impishly.

“Hi Felicity! Hi Dig! How are ya doin'?”

He stared at her, mouth agape. “....you're fast...”

“...didn't Oliver tell him?” she whispered to Felicity.

“Yes. But seeing is believing,” the hacker giggled and side-eyed Diggle's face. “Or drooling.”

“Is it the suit?” Carrie teased, giving a slow spin for them. “I know it does make my ass look fabulous.”

She paused as Oliver pulled up to a screeching halt on his motorcycle. With a gleeful grin, she sprinted – at human speed – up to him. “Welcome to Central City!” Carrie was long-legged but still had to hurry to keep up with his strides. “Thanks for the assist back there. I mean, you really didn't have to trouble yourself... I was about to make my move!”

He snorted. “What move?”

An annoyed huff escaped her. “Rude! Talk about being a killjoy!” She pouted up at him, giving him a smack on the arm with the back of her hand. “I was about to ask what brought you guys to Central City too...”

“Working a case, actually!” Felicity replied as she reached into her tote bag, pulling out an evidence container. Was that a boomerang? “A suspicious murder in Starling City. And this was the murder weapon.”

She plucked the boomerang from the evidence bag, marveling over its weight and balance. The metal also gleamed in a way that appealed to her love of things that were shiny. “Cool!”

Catching Oliver's side-eye, she blushed. “I mean, that's awful!”

He snorted faintly at her and she scrunched her nose at him.

“I found traces of iron-oxide on it. I know its a long-shot but since Central City has the highest known concentration of iron-oxide in the county...”

“Did you know Australian aboriginals used boomerangs to hunt? Mainly kangaroo with is a surprisingly low-fat source of---” she was staring engrossed at the boomerang as she began to ramble.

Only to be interrupted by Oliver clearing his throat. The speedster blinked at him over the boomerang in confusion.

“We were following a lead when we heard the SWAT Radio and I thought I would come by,” Oliver said with a tight smile. Felicity held out the evidence baggy and reluctantly Carrie replaced the shiny, fascinating boomerang. He watched the speedster. “And you know. Watch you make your move.”

“I had a cousin get hit by lightning once.” Diggle said. “He just developed a stutter.”

Carrie blinked at Diggle before looking back at Oliver. “Well....my team and I are after a nasty meta-human that makes people like...super angry....”

“Cool,” Felicity said and she grinned at the Hacker, who cleared her throat when Oliver looked at her. “I mean....awful.”

“Since you guys are already here, why don't we team up!” Carrie looked at Oliver hopefully, just about vibrating with excitement. “I can help you find your boomerang man and you can help me find my super-rageaholic!”

“That sounds like fun!” Felicity looked as excited as the speedster. “I'd love to!”

“No. We will handle out business and head home.”

“But the fastest way to find out everything about the boomerang is to sic STAR Labs on it,” Felicity retorted.

“Enough people know my secret identity,” Oliver groaned.

“I just told my boss and Eddie mine today!” Carrie announced with pride. “Joe and Dr Wells are still pretty mad at me for it.” Finding herself on the receiving end of the surprised looks from Team Arrow, she huffed. “I only told them about me and the meta-humans! ...they know I know the Arrow but that's it.”

“Are they still around the Lab?” Felicity asked.

“No, they have work at the precinct to do. They left hours ago!”

“Then I'll go with Carrie to STAR Labs. Dr Wells and the others on the team know who I am.”

“Ooh I can introduce you to Salma! She's a meta-human I freed from an evil circus and she's super nice and can control animals!”

“...evil circus?” Diggle asked warily.

“They're the reason I told Captain Singh. I want the evil clowns out of the Pipeline. Its creepy enough as it is.”

“...there's evil clowns under STAR Labs now? I think I changed my mind...”

“They're locked up tight and I can run you to safety if they get out.”

“Alright. I'll trust that the Pipeline will hold them. I'll get a ride out to STAR Labs – they'll only have to drop me off and then they can pick me up after we're done...”

“Psssh! I can always give you a lift!” Carrie snickered, scooping her best friend up and darted off, leaving the men in a blur of gold lightning.

Eat my dust, Oliver! she thought smugly.


	4. Chapter 4

She came to a halt in the Cortex, setting Felicity down. “What'd you think?!”

“Oh my god, I think I left my stomach back with the guys,” the hacker giggled. “We have to do that again that was fun!”

And then they noticed that Felicity's shirt was sparking ominously. “You're on fire!”

Panicking, the two ripped away the shirt before it could ignite and harm the smaller blonde.

“Are you okay, did you get burned?!” Carrie asked as Cisco and Caitlin walked in to her stamping the sparks out of the shirt.

“Burned?” Caitlin asked.

Felicity squeaked as Carrie passed her her tote bag; the hacker held it to her chest. “I am so glad I didn't go braless today....”

“I think they've seen my limited collection by now,” Carrie muttered to her friend before grinning weakly at Caitlin and Cisco. “You guys remember Felicity, right?”

“I will always remember this,” Cisco promised. 

“Its so good to see you!” Caitlin said as she passed Felicity Carrie's discarded STAR Labs sweatshirt; Carrie held her friend's tote bag as she pulled the sweatshirt on. “What brings you by Central City? Is there another girls' day looming?”

“Oooh we should before you go back to Starling. Totally should drag Caitlin and Salma along,” Carrie said.

“Definitely. But today isn't a girls' day. Today, we solve a murder!”

“A murder?” Cisco echoed.

“Yup. And this--” she reached into the tote bag Carrie held open for her, retrieving the evidence bag. “--was the murder weapon.”

Cisco let out a gleeful sound, taking the evidence bag and pulling out the boomerang. “Awesome! What are the wings made out of?”

“We don't know, we're thinking of some kind of composite or plastic--”

“---reinforced with carbon fiber,” Cisco breathed in awe before he frowned. “Oh that's weird, it almost feels like its---”

“--Vibrating!” Felicity confirmed as the pair walked away from Carrie and Caitlin.

“Oh I want to run some tests and I want to run them right now!” the engineer was practically skipping in his glee.

Carrie allowed herself a giggle before glancing at Caitlin. “So, while they play with the toys, were you able to learn anything new about our meta tonight?”

“The officer involved said that he saw a flash of red before he lost control. I suspect the suspect is inducing rage by the ocular nerve.” Caitlin said and paused. “oh and...Dr Wells wants to see you.”

By the way Caitlin practically bolted, Carrie had a feeling she was in for a chewing out. Again.

He was in the treadmill room. And he wasn't alone; she found that Joe was also there, seated on the treadmill. Glancing nervously between them she joked weakly: “Why do I feel like I just got called into the principal's office?”

“The Starling City vigilante,” Joe began.

“...is this about the Arrow helping us out back there?” She blinked at him. “I don't understand, what's the problem?”

“We don't trust him,” Dr Wells stated.

“You don't even know him!” she protested.

“I know he was wanted for murder in at least twelve different cases dating back three years.”

“And I know that there have been at least two major terrorist attacks in Starling City since he became active,” Dr Wells added.

She crossed her arms over her chest defensively. “And the cops there are cool with him. And he doesn't kill people anymore.”

“And what about all the criminals he put arrows through? Those what...don't count?”

“He's a hero, Joe!” she bristled.

“You're a hero, Carrie,” Dr Wells stated harshly, leaning forward in his chair. “You offer protection. Hope. Light. What that man does is carry out a dark reckoning for his city. It is a brutal, violent vision of justice. One we-” He glanced at Joe, then back to her, “-do not share. You truly think he's a hero? Fine. So be it. He's not the kind you should be looking up to.”

“He's been helping me train and get stronger. Faster,” Carrie said defensively, ready to launch into a tirade to defend Oliver when breaking glass and Caitlin's screams rang out.

She bolted back into the Cortex, Joe trailing on her heels. Caitlin ran by them, still screaming as something silver flew around in the air, destroying lighting fixtures and busting many of the windows within the Cortex. It finally came to a halt, embedding into a pipe which vented steam.

It was the silver boomerang.

Cisco and Felicity peered around the doorway and at the pipe.

“That's...that's my bad,” Cisco said, gesturing to the boomerang. “That's on me!”

A broken panel of glass fell behind Joe, causing him to jump and whirl around. He stared at it, before turning to Carrie. “I want that...Arrow...out of my city. Tonight.”

\-------------

The next morning, she hurried to Jitters, having received a text from Felicity to meet her and Oliver there. They were sitting together at a table and she slipped into a chair to join them.

“The man you were after last night?” Oliver said softly. “The bank robber? His name is Roy G Bivilo.”

Startled, she blinked at them. “Thank you? How on earth did you find that out so fast?”

Oliver looked away and she looked alarmed. “The guy is still alive, right?!”

He glared at her from the corner of his eye and she wilted. “...just asking....”

Swallowing, she forced her back to straighten. “I thought...you didn't want help?”

“I'm not,” he retorted. “Its just a name.”

And then iris was there, dropping off a pair of coffee cups for Felicity and Oliver.

“One non-fat latte for Felicity and one coffee, black, for Oliver.” Iris had a vaguely goofy smile. “I brewed you a fresh pot.”

He smiled at her. “Thank you.”

Carrie muffled a snicker and Iris side-eyed her. “Carrie? Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Uh-oh,” the speedster gulped before being dragged off by her sister.

Out of their eyesight, Iris smacked her hard on the shoulder repeatedly. “Ow! What's that for?!”

“You not telling me you knew Oliver Queen!”

“Yeah... I know Oliver Queen,” she admitted.

“Oh my God he's even more handsome in person” Iris gushed, causing Carrie to giggle. “Did you see the size of his arms?!”

“Yup,” Carrie said with a vaguely dreamy sigh.

“You know, he's on my Three List?”

“...what's a 'Three List'?” Carrie asked in confusion.

“The Three Guys I'm allow to cheat on Eddie with,” Iris clarified, ignoring Carrie's scandalized gasp. “Usually you don't meet the people on your list...but now here he is! And I can't just cannot stop staring at him...”

“You should see him on the Salmon Ladder,” Carrie admitted dreamily. 

“Salmon Ladder...?” Iris eyes went wide and Carrie clamped a hand on her sisters mouth to keep her from squealing.

“Do not connect those dots!” she hissed in worry. “...at least not yet. If you're good...I'll let you come with me one Wednesday, okay?”

Iris nodded, her eyes sparkling in glee.

Removing her hand, Carrie shared her sister's grin. “You'll love it. God knows I do.”

The way Iris glanced over her shoulder had Carrie turning to see Oliver slowly approaching. Leaving her sister behind, she walked over to him.

“Okay,” he said.

“Okay what?” she blinked at him in confusion.

“Okay I'll help you catch your bad guy.”

She grinned at him brightly. “Really?! And...he's a meta-human.”

“...I'm not calling him that, Carrie,” Oliver huffed.

Deciding to push her luck, she lifted a hand. “...Partners...?”

He rolled his eyes and clasped hands with her. “Partners.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oliver would like to inform the universe he hates me for what will happen to him in the next chapter. *cackle*


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....I got Olivarry feels for some reason as I was writing this chapter. I don't normally ship Olivarry o.O Huh. Oh well! XD

It was a Wednesday so it only made sense they train together today. 

And maybe she was being a little spiteful for insisting it take place at STAR Labs. Oliver...didn't really like that idea. And she was pretty sure Dr Wells – and Joe – would blow a gasket when they saw them in the courtyard beating the crap out of of each other.

But it was one of the largest walled in courtyards, in the very center of the building above the particle accelerator. There was plenty of room for her to run if she needed.

It was also isolated. 

Private. 

And the noise wouldn't carry. 

So no one would see them or hear them.

She wasn't surprised to see Oliver had arrived early – probably cased the place from top to bottom looking for possible structural damage to avoid during their training exercise. Stopping beside him, she regarded him, standing there dressed in his gear. She was wearing training clothing – a sports bra and spandex shorts – not her suit; she didn't want to risk Cisco's ire since they could get...rough.

“I don't like this,” he growled in his Arrow voice, tugging the hem of his hood further down even though he wore the mask she made him.

“Where you wanted if one of us got hurt bad, we'd not be able to get medical attention. Even at the Arrow Cave-” she ignored his grunt at her. “-or one of those warehouses, we could be patched up by Felicty or Dig.”

Carrie side-eyed him. “Besides. I'm....proving a point. About how your training is helping me. Most my fights are won through my speed and my brains so...they never get to see what you've taught me.”

He grunted at her. “I read your sister's blog, all the posts concerning you as the Flash...and then I went and visited all the crime scenes you have fought at...”

“Don't you sleep?” she ask incredulously.

“Last month,” he continued as though she hadn't spoke, “You took on a man called Leonard Snart.”

“Captain Cold,” she offered and he gave her an exasperated look. “What? Its what we call him!”

“We can talk about your tendency to give your enemies silly code names later.”

Carrie pouted at him. “You mean like over coffee with Deathstroke and Huntress?”

“...point,” he sighed as he faced her. “But. As I was about to say...... you engaged Snart on a commuter train. Which he derailed.”

“Yes,” she agreed with a wince. “That day...I was...my head wasn't on straight. I know its not an excuse but...I was able to save everyone so no one was hurt. I was lucky, I admit to that. But I was able to get the job done...”

“Carrie, when you approach a new environment, do you case every inch of it?”

“...most the time I don't have time. There's bullets flying or people about to get hit by a car....” she admitted.

“Right. So most of the time you are literally barreling in blind. There is a difference between having powers...and having precision, Carrie,” he chastised her as he led her deeper into the courtyard, heading for the center.

“You know, when I came to you, when I was thinking about going out and helping people you said I could be an inspiration...”

“Living this life,” he said, pulling his collapsed bow from his back and drawing an arrow from his quiver. “But it takes more than a mask – it takes discipline. And since you are probably as stubborn as I am...” He turned to face her, the arrow knocked on the bowstring.

Okay this was new....sure they had done some drills for her agility but... “Okay, what are you doing with that?” she asked.

“You are going to run back over there-” he nodded to where they had been standing early at the entrance of the courtyard. “And then you are going to run back at me. And get hit with an arrow.”

A soft laugh of disbelief escaped her. “...no I'm not.”

“Yes. You are.”

She eyed him and have a shrug of her shoulders. “Alright. Fine. I will humor you.”

Turning away, she darted back over by the courtyard's entrance. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she called back to him: “Ready?”

She could see him lift the bow, pulling the arrow back. And then he let it fly. Darting forward at him, she snagged the arrow, coming to a halt in front of him.

“Nice try?” she offered with a faint smile and shrug of her shoulders.

He arched a brow and then there was two sharp twangs in near unison and pain exploded in her upper back. A scream escaped her as she stumbled forward, falling to her knees with two arrows protruding from her shoulders. 

“The HELL?!” she howled as he approached her, circling her. “You shot me?!”

“I heard you heal fast,” he said, taking hold of the arrows and yanking them from her back, ignoring her yowl of pain.

A yowl that turned into a pained snarl as she spun, slamming her fist straight into his crotch; her hand connected with his cup but he still made a sound of pain, dropping to the ground.

Glaring at her, lips pulled back from his teeth he ground out: “Alright. No rules!”

“Works for me!”

And that was how they proceeded to beat the ever lovin' shit out of each other, the sounds of flesh hitting flesh and their grunts and swearing and shouts of pain echoing in the central, walled courtyard. He was the superior trained fighter but since No Rules was in play, she could use her speed...and that helped quite a bit.

By the time they were done though – laying sprawled near one another in the overgrown grass of the courtyard filthy and panting for breath - they had an audience. With a groan, she pushed herself into sitting up.

“Given the fact I'm up first...that means I win!” she announced in glee.

“No it doesn't,” he ground out as he forced his body to sit up as well.

As they were on their feet, they could hear the sound of two safeties being clicked off. They turned to find Eddie and Joe standing at the courtyard entrance. Standing behind them was Felicity, Cisco, Caitlin, and Dr Wells. 

From beneath his hood, the Arrow stared at the pair of cops who had their guns drawn and aimed at his face, his face contorted in an expression of both pain and annoyance. 

“Oh put those away before I take them from you,” Carrie sighed, her arm around his waist and supporting the Arrow's weight. Even with the leather and Kevlar, she could feel the tension in his body. “If he doesn't first.”

“I told you I wanted him gone!” Joe snapped.

“Put them away!” she retorted and looked ready to drag the Arrow off until they reluctantly put the safeties back on and the guns back in the holsters. Carrie took a calming breath. “Its Wednesday. Training day. I wasn't missing it – I want to get stronger and better and he's helping me do that!”

“You do still have a long way to go,” the Arrows grunted and she gave him a glare. “First things first: Case the scene as best you can. Second: Do not bite your opponent--”

“I have teeth and they can be a weapon!” she huffed.

“Yes, but given the unknown abilities of many of your opponents as well as the increasing fact many people now have blood-born diseases...” Caitlin interjected.

“...that does make sense. Okay. No biting unless I absolutely have to,” she agreed.

“And third: Never do that vibrating thing you did to get out of the choke hold. Ever.” He looked pained.

“...why? It worked. You let go like a burned you!” Immediately worried, she started to check him for damage. “Did I burn you with the friction?!”

“No!” he swatted her hand away from near his belt level. “Just don't do it. You might get results you will not expect nor like.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Cisco asked, torn between awe because - the Arrow was here! - and concern because holy crap Carrie looked ragged as hell. ...so did the Arrow so that was a good thing...

The Arrow grunted.

“Seriously, what does it mean?” Carrie demanded.

“When I had you in the hold. Where was your butt?” he finally sighed.

“It was against your---” she stared at him and started to laugh. “You boinged!”

“He what?!” Joe asked, his voice strangled. He did not like the sound of that nor the way the vigilante was refusing to look at anyone.

The Arrow swore under his breath, pulling his hood down further in embarrassment as Carrie lifted a hand, making a loose fist; her forefinger abruptly went up and she exclaimed: “Boing!”

“....he got a woody?” Cisco choked in laughter.

“It was a reaction to stimulation!” the Arrow snapped even as Carrie leaned against him laughing hysterically. “Shut up!”

“You are never living this one down,” she promised him. “Which is good, I was looking for some form of payback after you shot me in the back....”

“You got that when you punched me in the balls!” He retorted.

“Oww,” Eddie hissed in sympathy.

“You shot my daughter?!” Joe's hand was back on his gun.

“It wasn't that bad, he's wearing a cup!” she huffed to Eddie.

“Situational awareness exercise,” the vigilante grunted at Joe. “She charges in blind too much.”

Joe hesitated, giving a reluctant grunt as he agreed. “She does.”

“Oh look, you two can agree on something!” she said sarcastically.

“So you shot her in the back to prove a point?” Caitlin asked in disapproval.

“Do not be fooled by that sweet face. She's as stubborn and hardheaded as I am,” the Arrow snorted.

“...I can't believe you did the thing with the arrows,” Felicity commented to the Arrow.

“You knew he was going to shoot me and didn't warn me?” Carrie gave her best friend a wounded look.

“In my defense, it is very hard to tell when he's making a joke,” she replied as she came up on the Arrow's other side, sliding one of his arms around her shoulder.

“...yeah,” she agreed and glanced at the older vigilante. “Can you ride your bike or do I need to cart you back to the safe-house?”

“I can ride,” he replied stiffly. Like he'd really admit to weakness in front of these people.

She rolled her eyes at him. Why were the men in her life so stubborn and difficult?


	6. Chapter 6

Reassured that Oliver would be safely tucked away and recovering from their spar under Dig's tender mercies, she allowed Caitlin to drag her off for a thorough medical examination. 

“I can't believe you two did this to yourselves,” Caitlin said in exasperation as she finished. “ And you do this every Wednesday?!”

“We don't fight like this every Wednesday. Its varied – sometimes its an agility and reflex drill, similar to what we do here. Other times he's teaching me how to grapple or other fighting related moves,” Carrie replied. “When he does that, I'm not normally allowed to use my speed – he said its a good idea to learn how to do the moves at regular, human speeds and then start incorporating it into my abilities...”

“Hey we just got a ping off the facial recognition software for Bivilo aka Prism,” Cisco announced.

“Since when did we have facial recognition software?” Caitlin asked.

“Happy Hanukkah!” Felicity chirped.

“Where can we find him?” Carrie asked, peering over his shoulder.

“Traffic cameras just caught him entering a residence at one-six-eight Jarvis...”

“We should let the Arrow know,” Felicity said.

“I'm more than capable of handling this solo. Besides, he's probably still being patched up from our spar,” Carrie said with a shake of her head. “I'll go on ahead. One of you call in an anonymous tip to Joe so he and Eddie can meet me there.”

“Carrie...” 

“Felicity, its okay. I won't need his help,” she reassured her friend though honestly...she was still peeved about the being shot in the back thing.

\---------

She was the first one in the apartment building, naturally. Quickly casing the building, she found it empty of most the tenants – probably either still at work or the apartments were just unoccupied...

One apartment that did have an occupant was also listed in Bivilo's record as a known address. It was a ground floor which would make it easier for him to escape if he felt the need. Technically Joe nor Eddie could enter without a warrant or permission...or if the door was standing open.

Reaching out, she covered the deadbolt with her hand and vibrated her hand; the vibration and friction caused the tumblers to soften and part, until the deadbolt fell apart with a clatter. That was louder than she anticipated...

Worried he might have heard that and would try to slip out the window to escape, she stealthily slipped into the apartment.

...into the art studio, she corrected herself, eyes wide and scanning the paints and canvases. 

All the paintings were in gray-scale. And one, a abstract-looking portrait, had the eyes cut out. Which was kinda creepy, she decided as she stared at it.

“I knew you'd be coming for me,” he said from behind her, causing her to whirl around while cursing herself for getting distracted. He was wearing sunglasses – the dark, heavy ones. In that moment she wished her cowl had tinted lenses. ...she'd have to remember to recommend that upgrade to Cisco. “I could see it in your eyes at the bank, when I turned those people against each other.”

His lips curled into an unpleasant smile. “It made you angry.”

“It did,” she agreed, taking him aback in surprise. “Innocent people could have died. Which is why you need to be taken off the streets.”

She blurred forward, snagging the shoulder of his jacket and yanking him around, his back to her chest as she grappled him into a choke-hold. It was harder than it sounded – while not as muscular or physically strong as Oliver, he was still taller than she was.

Don't meet his eyes, she reminded herself, keep him facing away from you.

It was hard to keep on-balance and him in a hold – he was bucking and thrashing – and then he stood up straight, pushing all his weight backwards. They tumbled into a canvas and easel behind her; her elbow went through the painting as they hit the ground.

“Oof!” she grunted as his sharp elbow connected to her gut.

They were scrambling – she to get away and he to pin her down. His knees were sharp and bony as they dug into her thighs and his long skinny hand surprisingly strong on her shoulders as he pinned to her down.

“Let me give you a taste of true anger,” he practically purred, his eyes glowing red.

Red. 

All she could see was red and it took her breath away and made her head ache. She cried out, no longer trying to push him off and her hands going to grip her head. Faintly she was ware of him scrambling up and off, fleeing out the back.

“Carrie!” Joe was there, and she opened her eyes to see him and Eddie leaning over her. “Are you—Did he---?!”

“I'm...okay? My head hurts a bit but I don't feel any different...” She didn't feel the urge to rip their heads off at least...all she felt was annoyed and frustrated at herself... “I...maybe it doesn't work on me?”

“Lets get you to Caitlin,” Eddie suggested, helping her up.

\----

“No sign of Macular damage,” Caitlin announced from her computer. “Your cornea and retina seem unaffected.”

“And my head stopped hurting before we left Bivilo's hide out,” she said, pushing the device Caitlin had used to examine her eyes out of her face. “Maybe because my brain works on a higher speed than normal people it burned out before it could really affect me...?”

“Which would be great because I'd hate to see what you could do if you decided to go MMA on us,” Felicity agreed.

“I certainly don't feel any urges to beat people up,” Carrie reassured her, turning in the chair to look back at her best friend. “I mean, his eyes went weird and my head hurt but...that was it....”

“His eyes went weird how?” Caitlin asked.

“They turned red and then I saw red and my head hurt,” she clarified, shifting to glance at Caitlin.

“You were right,” Felicity said to Caitlin.

“Did you two come up with an theory on how to reverse it in case someone else gets whammied?” Carrie asked.

“We did. And hopefully it'll work.”

Carrie stood, idly straightening her flannel shirt. “Hopefully we won't need it but...when I stopped seeing red, Bivilo was gone.” She frowned. “I'll get him. I do remember he was wearing those really dark sunglasses...so maybe they work like a shield... I'll tell Joe and Eddie to buy some just in case.”

“That was really foolish going in alone like that,” Caitlin said in disapproval as Carrie started out of the medical room.

Bristling, Carrie could feel the corners of her mouth turning down as Caitlin followed her. “I was opening the door so Joe and Eddie could use the open door policy and not get into trouble. I only went inside to make sure I could cover the back for them and he got the drop on me! It happens.”

“You take too many risks,” the doctor shook her head. “And as fast as you are, that's going to catch up to you.”

She turned around to face the older woman. “Caitlin. I'm not Ronnie. You got to stop treating me like I am.”

“...you're right, you're not,” Caitlin said in a brittle voice before stalking away.

Carrie's eyes met Felicity's, who was watching her in worry. “...what?”

The hacker sighed, about to speak when Carrie's phone vibrated in her pocket. Pulling out her phone, she saw it was from Oliver. “Its Oliver. He wants to have another session.”

“I'm sure he's not going to shoot you again.”

“After I punched him in the nuts? I should hope not,” she snorted.

“...wear body armor just in case,” Felicity giggled.

\---------------

Oliver was staring off into the distance when she arrived at the safe house. What was he thinking, she wondered.

“Thinking up new ways to shoot me?” she asked as she approached, hooking her thumbs in her jeans' pockets. 

“You went up against Bivilo alone last night,” he replied. “And you lost him.”

She bristled in outrage. “And what, you've never had a misstep? Never had someone else get the drop on you?”

“Of course I've had missteps, Carrie. But I have been living this life for almost eight years, encountering things you can't even fathom and I am still alive. Not because of super-speed kept me out of the ground.” He ignored as she snorted rudely. “Its because I realized I needed to keep learning. Keep training. Keep getting smarter. And until you get that, despite your best intentions..you will do more harm than good.”

“...not learning?” she hissed, her outrage spiking and voice raising. “Not learning?! What the hell do you call those weekly sessions of ours?! I came begging you for training! I let you beat me into the mats and shoot at me – and actually shoot me - because I wanted to learn! From you!”

Pointing at him, trembling – though not yet vibrating – she continued, “I defended you and your methods to my Dad and to Dr Wells! I bragged about how smart and tough you are and how you were helping me be better, helping me to be as great a hero as you!”

“But now...” she shook head. “What's the matter? Are you jealous of my abilities? My speed? The healing?”

She blurred forward, yanking his bow out of his hand, rising up on her toes and leaning in very close to his personal space. “Or maybe...its because I'm not fawning all over the great and handsome Oliver Queen? A guy like you? Handsome, rich, can have any girl he wants...and then me...the lab rat, the freak of nature that breaks the sound barrier...doesn't want to jump your bones. Oh you are very pretty look at, especially on the Salmon Ladder...”

Carrie stepped back. “But whichever it is...the jealousy of my speed or the fact I don't try to jump your bones...those are probably things you aren't used to feeling. So it might be a little slow for you to process what your feeling.”

“Those are your theories?” Oliver growled.

“Absolutely. See...you can train and lift weights, all until your heart explodes. But you'll never be as fast as I am. And as handsome and as rich as you are...you can draw the eye but not the heart.” She told him. “I'm in love with a man in a wheelchair and an intellect that can crush you without even trying. I mean...I wouldn't be surprised if he's already figured out who you really are. And that's got to hurt that rock hard pride of yours...Ollie.”

He reeled back a bit in surprise. “You and Dr Wells---?”

She just smiled at him – a tight, hard smile before she was gone in a blur of gold lightning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took longer than I wanted. 
> 
> But between being sick the past couple of days and then trying to figure out where limbs would go thanks to that damn chair....yeah. It would have been so much easier without it. And then the multiple directions I thought about taking the scene. It didn't quite as NSFWish as I had thought it would (We all blame you Oliver!)
> 
> Spoiler for next chapter in case you're wondering how they were found so fast since Carrie will ask them: Oliver called Felicity telling her Carrie was acting weird, and when that was relayed to Caitlin they had an "OMG Carrie -was- affected" moment...and went to call Dr Wells for his input. Who didn't answer.
> 
> Eobard (both versions) is massively displeased with me. I need to go into the witness protection program now.

“Allen, my office!” Captain Singh called out as she slipped into the precinct.

Her jaw clenched; this was not what she needed to deal with right now. Even still, her feet carried her into the Captain's office.

“I heard you had a run in with Bivilo but his ability didn't affect you,” Singh inquired.

He didn't sound angry, just curious and the tension in her shoulders and the back of her neck relaxed, the prickling irritation she'd had since Caitlin's unnecessary motherhenning easing.

“No. I had a headache but it was over in around thirty or so seconds. They didn't find any damage to me at STAR Labs either. I probably burned it out before it could take hold and I could hurt anyone,” she replied and then remembered: “He was wearing these really dark aviator shades before he tried to whammy me – maybe to act as a shield in case he used his abilities unintentionally.”

The Captain nodded thoughtfully. “That would be useful for during the daylight hours at least. Now about the evidence in the lab...”

“There's not much of it. I was about to head up to work on it.”

“Do it tomorrow, first thing. I want you take the rest of the night off just in case they need your help at STAR Labs in the off chance Bivilo makes a move.”

\-----------

It was nice not having Singh jumping all over her – which she had been expecting to be honest; maybe telling him she was the Flash was giving him an understanding about her and her skills. As she was leaving his office, she caught sight of Iris and Eddie sneaking off, their hands entwined and sharing a smile.

That prickling in the back of her neck was back as envy of them speared through her. It wasn't fair, it wasn't like she was hiding her feelings from Dr Wells and his mixed signals---

\---no more mixed signals. They needed to have a little talk, she decided, her feet taking her back to STAR Labs and straight to his office.

He looked up as she entered without knocking, a brow arching.

“Is there something I can help you with, Ms Allen?” he asked as she closed the door behind her; her head was bowed and when it lifted he could see a glimmer of red crossing her irises.

“We need to talk,” she replied tightly, pushing away from the door and approaching him slowly, almost predatory in manner.

“If this is about your friendship with Oliver Queen--”

“You figured it out,” she stated before giving a smile that was all teeth. “I told him you would. That you're so much smarter than he is. But this isn't about him. Its about you. And me.”

She stood by his desk now, he had backed his chair up so he could shift and watch her. “...are you feeling alright, Ms Allen?”

“I feel great. And you need to make up your mind – am I Carrie or Ms Allen to you?”

“...I'm sorry?”

“You...are giving me a ridiculous amount of mixed signals,” she snapped abruptly, his spine going stiff. “I'm not hiding how I feel about you--”

“--your infatuation? Ms Allen...I'm not the best prospect for you – I'm old enough to be your father, along with being a pariah in a wheelchair---”

“Its not an infatuation!” she was abruptly in his face, gold lightning crackling ominously. “I love you, Harrison Wells. I have been since I read your first book, well before I even read your biography. I don't care about your age, your social status, or even that damn chair!”

His throat worked as he swallowed, her eyes following the bobbing Adam's apple before her eyes lifted back to meet his.

And then her hands were in his hair, pulling his head forward. She was so far from experienced in the art of kissing, that the kiss was a hard mashing of mouths, their noses bumping awkwardly. Wells's hand was at the nape of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair as his palm cradled the back of her head, tilting her head as he asserted dominance over the kiss.

A keening escaped her as her lips parted against his and his tongue swept into her mouth. Her hands left his hair and her arms looped around his neck; gently she was tugged into his lap by the hand he placed at the small of her back. It was somewhat awkward due to the armrest of his wheelchair but she didn't care, trying to press up as close against him as she could, her body twisting and arched.

The energy that thrummed between them...could only be compared to when she was running. Lightning and power racing through her veins and settling to pool between her legs and the tips of her breasts.

It was wonderful, even better than her daydreams and she wanted more. A hand slipped down from where her arms were looped around his neck and she was pulling at his shirt, wanting it up and off--

There was a soft chiming sound; his cellphone. He pulled his head back and she growled at him, nipping at his lower lip in disapproval.

“I need to--” he began, even as she shifted on his lap, her knees on each side of his hips. The confines of the chair kept her from properly straddling him, her rear resting on his knees.

“---ignore it,” she replied, leaning in to press her mouth against his again, even as her hands tugged on his shirt.

Hands slipping beneath his black sweater, she marveled at the feel of his chest – faint, crisp hair scattered over a tightly muscled abdomen and pectorals... His hands were at her hips, sliding upwards to her waist. A faint sound much like a purr escaped her as she could feel the faintly calloused tips of his fingers touching her back. Her skin felt so sensitive, overheated---

\---and the door opened.

“Carrie!” It was the Arrow's voice calling her name and she jerked, turning to glare at him over her shoulder.

Their eyes locked, hers a bright angry red as she shifted on Dr Wells's lap, trying to free her legs from where they were trapped between his thighs and the interior sides of his chair. In a split second she was free and Dr Wells's hand was outstretched, trying to reach the back waistband of her jeans to stop her.

All he touched was the gold lightning she left in her wake as she slammed into the Arrow, driving him back into the wall opposing Dr Wells's office.

“Told you I wasn't interested!” she snarled, her fists balled up in the front of his uniform's vest.

“I know you aren't,” he grunted and then she felt a piecing pain in her midsection and another in her thigh.

He had stabbed her with an arrow in the midsection...one of the trick arrows with a syringe attached. In her leg was one of his knives, to slow her if she tried to run.

“Horse tranquilizer. Ten times the normal dose,” his grin was feral as he tackled her as she staggered back.

They grappled, her movements woozy as her metabolism fought to neutralize the tranquilizer. He had her in a headlock, his hand in her hair and pulling her head back. And then she saw the contraception at the end of the hall – it looked like a portable wall with an array of differently sized lights.

They turned on suddenly, brightly flickering in a pattern of different colors and frequencies as she struggled in the Arrow's grasp. And then she stiffened, eyes wide and red and until...they rolled back and she sagged limply, her head pounding, aching...

The Arrow held her in place, wary of a trick even as Dr Wells rolled out of his office. He reached out, taking hold of one of Carrie's hands, which curled weakly around his.

“Its alright, Mr Queen. I think she's herself again,” Dr Wells reassured the Arrow, who shot him a glare from the corner of his eye.

Wells's eyes remained on Carrie's face, scrunched up in a grimace as she muttered: “...didn't miss having hangovers...this one...feels like a special sort of hangover....”

The Arrow snorted in amusement as the flickering lights were shut off by Caitlin. He let her go and she stumbled a step forward, her hand still gripping Wells's tightly.

“You alright, kid?” he asked, glancing from the way she held tightly to Wells's hand to her face.

She rubbed her face with her free hand. “...been better. Been worse...”

“Lets get you down to the medical bay, so you can rest,” Dr Wells said soothingly as he led her down the hall by the hand.


	8. Chapter 8

“So how exactly did everyone figure out I was whammied? I didn't even feel angry just...irritable,” Carrie asked in confusion from where she was reclined on the medical bed.

“Because what you considered irritable was so out of character for you even when you have PMS it was alarming,” Iris replied.

She had rode along with Eddie and Joe when they had realized that Bivilo's abilities had worked on her, in case she could talk Carrie down from whatever rager she was on. As it turned out, Iris had been more than a little amused to realize what Carrie had been on was Dr Wells. And now Carrie couldn't even look at in the man's direction or even listen to him without turning as red at her suit.

“Yeah, Oliver called to let us know you were acting weird and he thought your eyes looked red for a second,” Felicity added. With the knowledge that Dr Wells – and thus STAR Labs – knew of Oliver's alter-ego, secrecy was out the door.

“And when we called Dr Wells and got no answer, we reviewed the security footage that showed you approaching his door,” Caitlin chimed in, watching Carrie cover her face in embarrassment.

“So. How did it go?” Iris asked in amusement. “I heard you were all over him.”

“You're terrible,” she groaned and accepted a cup of tea from Salma. “Thank you...”

“At least your feelings are now out in the open and if things don't work out... Well you have plenty of more options. Like that Hunter fellow that stops by Jitters with you and Eddie,” Salma replied.

“Yeah. And don't think you're getting out of the blind dates just yet!” 

Looking over to Felicity and Caitlin for help, she found none. 

Just great.

\-------------

“You know I have a prison like yours. Mine's on a nearly inhospitable island in the North China Sea...but the Pipeline works too,” Oliver commented to Carrie as they – Team Flash and Team Arrow – stood in the Cortex.

“Well if you ever come across any meta-humans running rampant in Starling, you have a place to stick them...” she told him as she grinned faintly.

Oliver straightened, turning away to face Team Flash. His expression sobered as he regarded them. “My identity is a closely guarded secret. If it ever is revealed, the danger that it will pose to my family and friends..it could embolden my enemies to retaliate against me through them. This is the same concern I now you all hold for Carrie's own alternate identity. So I hope you can understand--”

“--what Oliver is trying to say--” Felicity interrupted, ignoring Carrie's giggle and Oliver's sour look. “Is that he had a lovely time working with you and getting to know each of you. And that he can't wait to do it again soon.”

Felicity gently nudged Oliver with her elbow and the senior vigilante gave a grumble. “Right.”

“How many ball-punches did it take to get him so agreeable?” Carrie asked innocently, ignoring Oliver's groan.

“None,” Felicity giggled.

“How many trips to the couch of bitter regrets?” Iris asked impishly and was rewarded by Oliver's exasperated look and Felicity making the most adorable giggling-snort.

Joe approached Oliver. “I may not agree with your methods but...”

Joe held out a hand to Oliver; the vigilante took the detective's hand. “...thank you for helping my girl. For training her and for helping her with what Bivilo did...”

“You're welcome. She's a great student...when she's not trying to punch me in the balls.”

Carrie grinned cheekily as Eddie and Cisco winced, even as Felicity and Caitlin began to talk about using STAR Labs to analyze a degraded blood sample found at the scene of Canary's murder.

Captain Singh clapped Diggle on the shoulder. “If you ever need help from us, you can find us here or at the PD. Don't hesitate to call.”

Dig nodded. “Same to you. I'm sure Carrie will be more than glad to share the contact information.”

“Mr Queen...” Dr Wells moved his chair forward to where Oliver stood. “i met your father once, at a charity event. One of the things we spoke of...was you. I think he'd be very proud of the man you've become. I will admit, I was leery of associating with the Arrow...until I discovered he was you. Carrie speaks very highly of you and I'm glad to see her trust and faith was not misplaced.”

“Thank you,” Oliver said, leaning in and extending a hand for a handshake. “And please...call me Oliver.”

Carrie risked a glance over at them; they were getting along. The Teams were working together. This was a wonderful thing.

...and yet she was still a nervous wreck, waiting for the fallout with Dr Wells concerning her feelings – and actions – towards him.

Things had changed between them. There was no going back to the way things were before. And that was terrifying in and of itself.

Dr Wells glanced towards her as Team Arrow was leaving and the three members of the PD were putting up the final touches on the the 'unsolved' case of the bank robber named Roy Bivilo. There was that familiar burn of a blush on her face as her eyes met his.

Her heart felt like it was nearly ready to leap out of her chest when she received a text from him hours later. It had an address and the words “We still need to talk.”

...was that...his home address? She was pretty sure it was.

There was so many ways this could go and she didn't know which one would be better...and which one would be worse.


End file.
